​Quick, Cute Marshmallow Chocolates

We don’t do Valentine's day with expensive cards and chocolates, or fancy meals, flower or gifts. But I do like to do hide a treat in everyone's lunchbox as a little extra "mum loves you" surprise. This year I've made marshmallow flowers and I'll put a bouquet of three in everyone's lunchbox on Thursday for their special Valentine's treat. I saw the idea on Pintrest, and they were so pretty and so easy I had to try them. Of course I also modified the instructions to suit Australian ingredients and my budget. You'll need: 1 packet Coles pink and white marshmallows (or use your favourite brand, as long as they are large marshmallows) 1/2 cup white choc chips 1/2 cup pink cake sprinkles or hundreds and thousands Pink straws Step 1. Melt the chocolate over a double boiler (or in the microwave). Step 2. Stick a straw into the bottom of each marshmallow. Step 3. Dip each marshmallow into the chocolate and then roll it in the sprinkles. Step 4. Place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and put into the fridge to harden. Step 5. Tie three marshmallow flowers into a posy with pink or red ribbon. You could also give single flowers, wrapped in cellophane or put a bunch of pretty marshmallow flowers into a bud vase and use as a table centrepiece for a special Valentines day dinner.​ Tip of the Day, 11 February 2013

​Valentine's Gift Vouchers

​Make up a book of gift vouchers for your Valentine. You can make them as naughty or as nice as you like. They could contain vouchers for a neck massage, a favourite meal (with a day's notice), a weekend off, a car wash and wax, 30 minutes of alone time with each other a day, a foot rub every Friday evening, one night a week free of cooking (someone else can do it!) etc. Print them onto coloured paper and then make them into a little book. They can be redeemed throughout February or even the year!

​Valentine's Dinner Table

​Decorate your dining table for Valentines Day with red and white flowers, napkins and table sprinkle. Make the ‘flowers from tissues. Use white tissues and concertina fold them, then fold in half lengthways and tie off at the fold. Carefully spread the layers of tissue out to resemble carnations. Take a red felt pen and very carefully draw around the edge of the tissue, letting the felt pen bleed into the tissue. Use red and white cake sprinkles scattered over the table top. They don t sparkle like glitter, but they are easier to clean up, won t hurt animals or children who may eat them and are cheap.

​Mini Valentine's Cakes

​Make mini Valentines cakes. Use a butter cake mix (77 cents for Homebrand) and make them in muffin tins. Put a marble in the centre of each indentation, pour some cake mix into patty cases and pop on top of the marble. Bake in the usual way. When you turn the cakes out, carefully take the patty case off and when you turn them over you will mini ‘heart shaped cakes. Ice with white icing and quickly dip in red jelly crystals before the icing sets.

​Valentine's Tree

​ecorate a Valentines Tree. Choose a small tree, either fresh or artificial, indoors or outside and decorate it in a Valentines theme. Don t go to a lot of expense. Use red, pink and white ribbons and bows and cut some heart shapes from felt to hang on it. Stick an appropriate quote on the back of each heart and then read on each day.

​Valentine's Sachets

​o make small, sweet-smelling Valentine's Day gifts sew together or hot-glue two pieces of heart-shaped fabric, leaving a small opening at the base. Fill with several of tablespoons of talcum powder or crushed potpourri and close the opening to make a nice sachet for linen drawers.